Spotlight On...Elaine Cantrell

Please help me in welcoming Elaine Cantrell to the keyboard today.  Welcome Elaine, tell us about yourself.

I was born and raised in South Carolina, I hold a master’s degree in personnel services from Clemson University and am a member of Romance Writers of America, EPIC authors, and Alpha Delta Kappa, an international honorary society for women educators. I’ve been married for thirty five years to my college sweetheart. We have two sons-a physicist and a fraud investigator. They’ve given us three wonderful grandchildren-one girl and two boys. We also have two mean cats and one sweet, brown dog. In my spare time I enjoy reading, gardening, collecting vintage Christmas ornaments, and discovering new restaurants, not to mention playing Spider Man with my grandson.


How did you start writing?

I've been writing since 2001 when my son asked me to proofread a book he'd written. I figured if he could, so could I. My first published novel, A New Leaf, was the winner of the 2003 Timeless Love contest. If I wasn't sold on writing before, that did it. I've been writing ever since and don't have any plans to stop. Frankly, I don't think I could even if I wanted to. Writing is a strange compulsion that drives me to spend long hours in front of a keyboard when I could be doing important things like napping or eating chocolate. My house isn't dusted as often, I rarely cook, and who cares if the laundry got done or not. Yeah, no doubt about it, I'm addicted.


How many books have you published?

I’ve had 6 altogether. They are:

1.A New Leaf-  http://www.oaktreebooks.com/

2.Grandfather’s Legacy: the publisher died so this one is available from me at  elainecsc@aol.com

3.Purple Heart:  http://www.thewildrosepress.com/

4.The Welcome Inn:  http://www.wings-press.com/

5.The Best Selling Toy Of The Season:  http://www.midnightshowcase.com/

6.Return Engagement: coming in July to  http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/


Where do you get your ideas?

Ideas come from almost anywhere. Sometimes I’ll read a book and wonder what would have happened if one of the characters had made a different choice. Sometimes I’ll hear a song that inspires me. Sometimes even real situations inspire me. I wrote one of my favorite books, the sequel to Return Engagement after I read a book about secret codes. A secret code is the key to that story.


What genre do you read? What are you reading now?

I read all genres, but I guess I read contemporary romance the most. Right now I’m reading Return to Sullivan’s Island by Dorothea Benton Frank.


What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? Easiest?

The most challenging aspect is letting go of my characters when I finish a book. I usually fall in love with them and don’t want to let them go. The easiest part is the beginning. I get a good idea and I can’t type fast enough to get the words down.

Tell us about your newest release. Where can we find it?

My newest release comes out in July from Whiskey Creek Press. It’s called Return Engagement, and I just love it! As usual I fell in love with my hero who in this case is mouth-watering. He’s passionate, handsome, and just a little dangerous, but he has a romantic side and would die for the woman he loves. Here’s a blurb to tell you about the book.

Elizabeth Lane has heard the call of the four most seductive words in the entire English language: what might have been. Would you risk everything you hold dear to find out what might have been? That’s the choice which Elizabeth has to make.

Elizabeth is lucky, for she has it all, money, fame, a satisfying career and a devoted fiancé. Her humble beginnings are all but obscured, but she isn’t the kind of woman Senator Henry Lovinggood wants for his son, Richard. Senator Lovinggood plans to make Richard the President of the United States; he’ll need a woman from a wealthy, powerful family by his side. Ten years ago he broke Richard and Elizabeth up, but this time it won’t be so easy, for Elizabeth wants to know what might have been. This time she’ll fight back, a struggle which ultimately leads to kidnapping and attempted murder and alienates her from the man of her dreams.

You can read an excerpt HERE.


What's next for you?

I’ve started work on a fantasy novel. It’s loads of fun to write whatever you can imagine unhindered by reality.


Where can we find you on the web?

My web site is  http://www.elainecantrell.com/

My blog is  http://www.elainepcantrell.blogspot.com/

My My Space page is at  http://www.myspace.com/elainecantrell

My Facebook page is  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100000153041486

I’d love to be friends on My Space or Facebook or both.

Do you have anything you'd like to ask our readers?


I’d like to ask them to let me know how they liked Return Engagement. Also, if they’ll email or mail me a receipt I’ll send them a PDF copy of Grandfather’s Legacy. This is good for the first 50 readers or 48 hours whichever comes first

Thanks for visiting with me today, Elaine.